Innovation also comes to the packaging of the company’s products. Bag-in-Box will offer producers even more practicality and sustainability
Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade, part of the Crop Care holding company, is a forerunner in various technologies for the field which, over the last decade, have brought innovation and competitiveness to rural producers throughout Brazil. As well as being one of the main players in the on-farm market, equipping and training hundreds of farmers to produce bio-inputs for their own use on their farms, company invests permanently in Research and Development to offer ready-made products that are increasingly efficient and sustainable for Brazilian agribusiness.
Patrícia Diosti, R&D director at Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade, explains that one of the company’s most recent discoveries is the precise identification of metabolites in its Bioshock product line. “These metabolites add significant value to the formulations already available, increasing their effectiveness and precision. During the process of growth and multiplication of microorganisms, extracellular metabolites are excreted into the culture medium, performing essential functions such as protection against predators and disease control,” he points out.
All the company’s innovations are the result of intense work by researchers at the Johanna Döbereiner Advanced Research Center, located at the company’s manufacturing complex in Itápolis, in the interior of São Paulo. The laboratory, equipped to advance the development of bio-inputs, has a modern structure of 1,800 m² and 35 rooms dedicated to different areas of research, allowing for the complete execution of all stages in the development of new biological products.
The company also collaborates with external partners on research into the chemical characterization of metabolites present in products in its portfolio. These compounds are investigated for their potential to produce bioproducts capable of reducing losses and damage caused by pests, thus increasing the productivity and resilience of agricultural crops.
Studies carried out with the Aptur bio-input revealed the presence of compounds from the cyclodepsipeptide class, especially Beauverolides and their derivatives, characteristic of the active ingredient Cordyceps fumosorosea, recognized for its significant insecticidal action. In the analysis of the ShieldShock product, which will be launched in the next harvest, lipopeptides were identified, such as Surfactins and Iturins, compounds produced by bacteria of the Bacillus genus and responsible for the nematicidal effect of these microorganisms.
Bruno Arroyo, an agronomist by training and Strategic Marketing Manager at Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade, is enthusiastic about how the properties of metabolites can accelerate the improvement of various products already available in the company’s portfolio and the creation of new, even more powerful solutions for Brazilian agriculture. “These substances, present in the metabolism of living organisms, enable the development of new agricultural bioproducts that reduce losses and damage caused by insects, as well as maximizing the potential of bioinsecticides and bionematicides, contributing to even more sustainable and effective agricultural practices,” he says.
According to Arroyo, the company’s exclusive Bioshock technology was the gateway to a closer look at the relevance of metabolites. When it was launched, it revolutionized the process of producing microorganisms by adopting liquid media to replace traditional solid media cultivation in industry.
One of the main benefits of multiplication in liquid media is the presence of active metabolites, which play a fundamental role in biological pest control. These metabolites, as well as ensuring greater efficiency in combatting specific pests, provide faster action, allowing farmers to apply more effective solutions to their crops. Through detailed mapping, it is possible to identify which metabolites are present in each product and how they can act in the fight against different types of pests, such as whitefly and caterpillars, as well as fungi and pathogenic bacteria (organisms that cause diseases).
“We’re in the future phase of bio-input formulations, the whole market is talking about generating products containing metabolites, and for us today this technology is already a reality, where producers already have access to our team of field specialists and commercial partners. And we are constantly evolving our technologies,” says Arroyo.
Bag-in-Box – innovation in sustainable packaging
Another of the company’s innovative initiatives was the development of the Bag-in-Box packaging system. With a capacity of up to 10 liters, the new packaging significantly improves the preservation of bio-inputs, ensuring that their properties are maintained for longer during transport and storage.
“The adoption of this packaging represents an efficient solution for agricultural logistics, replacing 25-liter drums with a more compact and practical alternative that not only optimizes space, but also makes it easier to handle the product,” explains Arroyo.
The development stages for the new packaging were carried out between 2022 and 2024, with a pilot project completed after regulatory approval from Ibama (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) and field tests with end customers, who positively evaluated the product’s performance and acceptance of the packaging.
Implementation at scale is scheduled for 2025, but Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade has already received the Eco Award, an annual initiative promoted by Amcham Brasil that recognizes organizations that contribute to promoting sustainable practices in Brazil, for the Bag in Box – innovation in sustainable packaging for bio-inputs project. The recognition took place on December 3, 2024, in São Paulo. The packaging was highlighted in the Sustainability in Products and Services category.
For Arroyo, the use of the Bag-in-Box brings advantages both to the company and to customers and the environment, as it represents a 39% reduction in the balance of emissions related to the annual consumption of previously used packaging; a 72% drop in CO2 emissions from the manufacture of packaging; a 59% reduction emissions from inbound transportation when purchasing this packaging; an average 68% reduction in the mass of waste generated to be transported for disposal in the inpEV system; and an 80% smaller occupation of the pre-fill and post-consumption packaging stock area.
“Agrobiológica believes that the key to the evolution of agriculture in Brazil and around the world lies in science, and it has been investing more and more in R&D to contribute to this transformation movement,” he concludes.
About Crop Care
Crop Care is a Brazilian holding company that operates in the chemical, biological and specialty fertilizer input market. Among Crop Care’s investments are Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade, an innovative platform for biological and OnFarm solutions; Perterra and K2, which have an extensive portfolio of post-patent agrochemicals; Union Agro, one of the leaders in specialty fertilizers; and Cromo Química, which specializes in the production of high-performance adjuvants and enhancers for agriculture. Through partnerships with distributors and cooperatives, and direct access to agricultural companies, Crop Care is present in the major producing regions of Latin America
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Gisele Gomes
Gisele Gomes | + 55 11 99103-0946